CLEVELAND, Ohio — It wasn’t the most popular trade when the Indians made it, and it still isn’t. Yet on the fifth anniversary of trading Cy Young Award winner CC Sabathia to Milwaukee, Michael Brantley, the only viable player the Indians still possess from the trade, had a good day.

Brantley hit a two-run double in the first inning Sunday, a leadoff homer in the sixth and a game-winning, two-run homer in the eighth, as the Indians beat Detroit, 9-6, to end a four-game losing streak and move back to 2½ games behind the American League Central-leading Tigers.

The Indians received Matt LaPorta, Rob Bryson, Zach Jackson and a player to be named for Sabathia on July 7, 2008. The player to be named was Brantley. LaPorta was supposed to be the key to the deal, but he’s stalled at Class AAA Columbus with a bad hip and a slow bat. Bryson has a big arm but has had trouble staying healthy. Jackson is pitching in Kansas City’s organization.

Brantley, meanwhile, is having his best season in the big leagues. He’s hitting .280 (86-for-307) with 12 doubles, seven homers and 45 RBI. He drove in a career-high five runs Sunday, hitting two homers in one game for the second time this season.

“I thought about the trade a lot during my first year here,” Brantley said. “After that, it’s over and done with. I’m glad to be over here playing for the Cleveland Indians.”

Asked if he felt as if he would be the last man standing in the deal from Cleveland’s perspective, Brantley said, “I always believed in my abilities, but at the same time, all those guys were great players and still are.

“They are all still like family because we came over together. I hope they all get up here soon.”

The Tigers pulled into a 6-6 tie in the eighth on Torii Hunter’s three-run homer off Vinnie Pestano. The 17th blown save by the Tribe’s bullpen cost Corey Kluber a win and silenced most of the crowd of 20,503 at Progressive Field. They did not stay quiet long.

Al Alburquerque (1-2) started the eighth for Detroit by walking Nick Swisher to bring Brantley to the plate. Brantley drove a 3-1 pitch deep into the right-field seats for an 8-6 lead. A sacrifice fly by Drew Stubbs made it 9-6 as the Indians ended a seven-game losing streak against the Tigers.

“It wasn’t a good feeling when they tied the game,” Brantley said. “But at the same time, you collect your thoughts and say, ‘We’ve got to score some more runs.’¤”

The Tigers worked their way back into the game against the Tribe’s besieged bullpen.

Joe Smith relieved Kluber in the seventh with a 6-1 lead. He gave up RBI singles to Hunter and Miguel Cabrera to make it 6-3.

Pestano started the eighth by walking Andy Dirks and mishandling an infield single by Alex Avila. Ramon Santiago hit into a force play and Austin Jackson struck out, but Hunter tied the score with his sixth homer of the season.

After Cabrera and Prince Fielder singled, Cody Allen (4-1) relieved and struck out Victor Martinez to end the inning and earn the victory. Chris Perez pitched the ninth for his ninth save.

“Detroit is never out of it,” said Tribe manager Terry Francona. “Fortunately, we kept playing. It would have been hard to go home after losing that one.”

Kluber tied a career high with 10 strikeouts and allowed two runs in 6Ð innings. How critical was Sunday’s win? Without it, the Tigers would have been well-positioned for a four-game sweep because they have undefeated Max Scherzer (13-0) facing Scott Kazmir tonight.

In the first two games of the series, Detroit thumped the Tribe by a combined score of 16-4.

Kluber opened the game by giving up a towering homer to Cabrera in the first on an 96-mph fastball on the inside corner. It was the fifth homer Kluber has allowed in three starts against the Tigers this season and the third to Cabrera.

“Carlos [Santana] and I had talked about that before the game,” Kluber said. “It was big for us, during and after that first inning, to not shy away from being aggressive [inside] just because they came out swinging the bats very aggressively.”

The Indians responded with four runs in the first off Doug Fister. Jason Kipnis and Swisher started the rally with two-out walks. Brantley delivered them with a double for a 2-1 lead.

Santana followed Brantley with a two-run homer to make it 4-1. Lonnie Chisenhall made it 5-1 with a leadoff homer in the second. 

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